Sourdough is the best traditional grain prep method, hands down.
Because… of all the grain prep methods — soaking, sprouting, souring — sourdough is the most effective way to prepare grains for best digestion and nutrition.
That’s just one reason I love using sourdough and rely on it for nearly all our baking.
There are other reasons, too. Like, how beautifully sourdough leavens baked goods because of the action of the wild yeasts in the starter.
And of course, the flavor — a delightful tang that just can’t be beat!
Then, combine the power of sourdough with the health of einkorn — a healthy 5,000-year-old variety of wheat — and you have an even better combination!
In today’s post, I’m going to show you how to make an einkorn sourdough starter (both print and video) and tell you how to care for it. We’ll also go over the differences between an einkorn starter and other grain-based starters.
What is Einkorn, Anyway?
Einkorn is a 5,000-year-old variety of wheat that many find easier to digest than modern wheat (it has gentler gluten and less and gentler starch). Yet it’s a bit tricky to figure out how to use because it behaves differently. You can skip the learning curve by using my free & AMAZING no-knead einkorn bread recipe!
The recipe is FREE, easy, and healthy, and takes only 15 minutes of hands-on time!
Click here for the free recipe: No-Knead Sourdough Einkorn Bread.
And soon your family will be saying: “This is the best bread EVER!”
Why Sourdough?
Here’s why you should embrace sourdough in your traditional kitchen, provided you can eat grains and gluten. (Or you can try gluten-free sourdough bread too!)
It’s the most nutritious. If done right*, sourdough is the most effective grain preparation, surpassing the effectiveness of soaking or sprouting. The wild yeasts and bacteria in the starter pre-digest gluten, consume grain sugar and neutralize anti-nutrients such as phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. Einkorn is already easier to digest and has less phytic acid than newer grains, so if you combine this ancient grain with the power of sourdough, you end up with marvelously digestible and nutritious baked goods!
*What do I mean by “if done right”?
There’s a difference between modern sourdough recipes you might find on the Internet and true, traditional sourdough. A truly nutritious sourdough recipe, like any of ours, will include 3 important things:
- At the beginning of the recipe, all the flour is combined with the starter for the entirety of the souring time, except perhaps for a bit of flour used for rolling or handling later on.
- The souring time will be done in a warm location, which is essential for the sourdough starter to do its important work.
- And, the souring duration will be long enough, usually 5 to 24 hours, depending on temperature (the warmer the location, the faster the souring time can be).
The power of natural leavening. It’s amazing really — the wild yeasts in your sourdough starter are powerful. They produce gases as they eat the starch in einkorn, and this actually rises your dough. No need to purchase store-bought yeast because your sourdough starter does the job. It’s beautiful to watch and simply like taking part in a miracle — miracles which could happen daily in your kitchen!
The taste. Myself, I love a good tang, and sourdough delivers. Sourdough doesn’t have to be overly sour, however. If your family doesn’t care for sour, add a bit of baking soda to the batter or dough right before baking. Baking soda reacts with the acid of the sourdough to “sweeten” the dough. This and other tips for reducing the sour can be found in this blog post — 6 Tips to Prevent “Sour” Sourdough. Not to scare you, though, because most sourdough recipes are not overly sour anyway!
What’s A Sourdough Starter?
In order to use sourdough in your kitchen, you need a sourdough starter. This is a batter-like mixture of flour and water that you feed and care for regularly in order to cultivate an active colony of wild yeasts and beneficial bacteria right inside it (it’s microscopic).
You use some of the sourdough starter in your baking (by combining it with flour and other ingredients), always making sure to reserve a portion of it that you keep going through regular feedings of more flour and water.
Sound intimidating? It’s not! Soon, your starter becomes like a cherished member of your family. Often people name their starters! I never have, but maybe I should. 😉
When you’re ready to maintain an einkorn sourdough starter, you’ve got 2 options. You can either transition another sourdough starter over to einkorn flour, or you can start a fresh einkorn starter.
Here’s how to transition a sourdough starter to einkorn; I covered it on a past #AskWardee.
Keep reading to find out how to make an einkorn sourdough starter from scratch.
Unique Qualities Of An Einkorn Sourdough Starter
Before I show you how to make a starter, let’s talk about the unique qualities of an einkorn sourdough starter.
If you have experience with sourdough, it may have been with a wheat or rye starter. The care and feeding (and even starting) of these starters is similar to an einkorn sourdough starter.
Their behavior, however, is different. It comes down to 3 things.
First, since einkorn absorbs less water, the starter tends to be runnier. You can easily adjust for this by adding a bit more flour or a bit less water at each feeding. Which, by the way, is a good idea. Because a starter on the thicker side works better in Traditional Cooking School’s recipes.
Second, while a whole wheat or rye starter will often double or triple in size at its peak (the height of activity), einkorn simply does not. So don’t rely on height for signs that it’s doing well. Instead, use the other signs of an active starter to gauge your starter’s health — that it’s bubbly, domes slightly, produces hooch (yellow liquid), and smells fresh and sour.
Finally, an einkorn starter is a bit stringy. Nothing wrong with this; it’s just the way it is. 😉
How To Make An Einkorn Sourdough Starter
Check out the play-by-play video above. And here are the instructions written out.
To start your einkorn starter, you need:
- einkorn flour (where to buy einkorn)
- well or filtered water (not city water)
- pint-size jar
- plastic wrap or paper towel and rubber band
Feeding 1. Put 1/4 cup water and 3/8 cup flour (1/4 cup + 1/8 cup) in a 2-cup glass jar. Stir vigorously. Scrape sides. Cover. Allow to sit for 12 hours.
Feeding 2. 12 hours later, if you don’t see life, stir again. Scrape sides. Cover and allow to sit for 12 more hours. If you do see life (a few bubbles), add 1/4 cup water to the jar. Stir well. Add 3/8 cup flour. Stir vigorously. Scrape and cover. Set aside for 12 hours.
Feeding 3. 12 hours later, if you still don’t see signs of life, dump out this mixture and start again. If you do see life (a few more bubbles), remove 1/2 of the starter, add 1/4 cup water, and stir. Add 3/8 cup flour and stir. Scrape and cover. Allow to sit for 12 or so hours.
Feeding 4. Remove 1/2 of the starter. Add 1/4 cup water and stir. Add 3/8 cup flour and stir. Scrape and cover. Allow to sit for 12 or so hours.
Feedings 5, 6, 7 … Continue with this routine until your starter consistently shows signs of life (bubbles, hooch and domed), and is at least five to seven days old.
If, after day 3 or more, your starter does not show much activity 12 hours after its discard/feeding, try giving it a good stir without discarding and feeding. Sometimes this pause gives the organisms a chance to catch up and the starter an opportunity to take off. Then when you’re satisfied it’s behaving well — it’s bubbly, domes slightly, produces hooch (yellow liquid), and smells fresh and sour — use it in recipes!
Why Discard???
The sourdough starter is not a viable starter until 3 to 5 days old and sometimes longer. It takes that long for the organism balance to get established. Discarding half is actually the MOST FRUGAL way to do this…
Think about it… If you don’t discard some each time, you have to feed it MORE flour each time (because it’s a larger quantity of batter to keep going).
Some say they want to keep the “other half” and give to a friend. The problem with this is… at every feeding, there’s another half which becomes other HALVES at each new feeding…
First 2, then 4, then 8, then 16…. up to 256 from the first mixture after just 4 days!
And EACH ONE needs to be built up to maturity (3-5 days with 2 feedings a day).
Who has that much counter space, abundance of flour, OR friends? 😉
So… it’s much less wasteful to discard some each time (which can go in compost or toss in something else you’re baking… doesn’t have to be wasted) than to use tons of flour or try to make tons of starters. 😉
Need Einkorn Recipes?
You’ll love the recipes in our Einkorn Baking eBook & Video Package (many of which are sourdough). Or in the Einkorn Baking eCourse that comes with your membership to Traditional Cooking School.
Also, try some of our favorite einkorn recipes like Einkorn Sourdough Bagels, Sourdough Einkorn Cinnamon Rolls, and Sourdough Einkorn Grilled Pizza Crust!
Or click here for a FREE recipe: No-Knead Sourdough Einkorn Bread.
Helpful Links:
- FREE recipe: No-Knead Sourdough Einkorn Bread
- Einkorn Sourdough Bagels
- Sourdough Einkorn Cinnamon Rolls
- Sourdough Einkorn Grilled Pizza Crust
- Einkorn Baking eBook & Video Package
- Einkorn Baking eCourse (included with your membership in Traditional Cooking School)
- 6 Tips to Prevent “Sour” Sourdough
- Soft & Chewy Sourdough Pretzels (spelt or einkorn)
- When is a Sourdough Starter Ready for Baking?
- 11 Tips For Lighter, Less Dense Sourdough Bread #AskWardee 053
- Sourdough Tips, Troubleshooting & Frequently Asked Questions (KYF092, 167)
- Einkorn 101
- Where to buy einkorn
Have you worked with einkorn sourdough? Have you started or kept an einkorn sourdough starter? Got any tips to share? Comment below!
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Can one use this starter in a bread machine?
Hi Rhonda,
We don’t use or recommend a bread machine because the cycles aren’t long enough to give the dough a proper souring (you need 7+ hours of souring time) so I’m not sure if you could use this starter in a bread machine. Sorry!
~Millie, TCS Customer Success Team
If you have trouble getting a starter going with this wheat, what would happen if you put a tiny bit of sauerkraut juice in the starter? Anything? Something bad? I have wonderful sauerkraut fermented right now with plenty of juice….
Hi Ardella,
We wouldn’t recommend adding anything to your starter (except flour and water) as it may introduce different organisms. Could your starter use a little more warmth to get it going? The extra warmth can make a big difference in the happiness of the starter. 🙂
~Millie, TCS Customer Success Team
Instead of discarding as the starter develops, why not use the “discard” to make another starter to give to a friend who might want to do einkorn sourdough as well?
I don’t discard any but keep on with the procedure. I consider it a waste to discard.
Another tip I came across for a lethargic starter is to put it in the fridge for a couple of days. Take it out let it reach room temp and continue feeding. Helps in my case.
Another idea for the “discard”–use it to make crepes. I got the idea from Nourishing Days. They use 1 cup “discard,” 1 egg, and a pinch of salt. Mix well, and then fry in a well-greased, well-heated pan. I have been making Amish Friendship Bread for a while and after reading the idea for sourdough starter, thought I’d try it with the Friendship bread in place of the “sharing.” I now keep the starter going to keep up with all the crepes (and pancakes) we’ve been making. I’m assuming sourdough should be just as good!
Hi,
Is anyone selling einkorn sourdough starter? I would like to purchase some that is already established. But a google search only shows it for sale on etsy. Maybe its just me but that doesnt seem like a reliable source… 18 year old einkorn starter can that be right when supplies have been very limited until the last few years?
How do you keep the starter, when do you feed it after it is going? Still twice a day?
Hi Kathleen,
If you’re leaving your starter at room temperature you should feed it every 12 hours. You can also refrigerate it and feed it every 24 hours.
Here’s an Ask Wardee on you’ll find helpful: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/2016/11/30/sourdough-routine-with-einkorn-aw052/
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
I was wondering if after you have your started established and can use it do you continue to feed it every 12 hours or do you drop back to 24 hours?
Thanks in advance for the reply.
Hi Carmen,
If you’re going to leave your starter at room temperature than it must be fed every 12 hours. You can refrigerate it between feedings if you want to go 24 hours.
Here’s an Ask Wardee you’ll find helpful: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/2016/11/30/sourdough-routine-with-einkorn-aw052/
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
I have a sourdough starter that I started with einkorn flour, and if I leave it more than 12 hours or so (I try to feed it twice a day but life sometimes leaves me forgetting), it gets almost like a shell on the top and looks potentially mouldy. Do they go bad?? There’s the yellow liquid under the top but it doesn’t bubble through the top ‘crust’. I tried to add a picture but I can’t figure it out. It doesn’t smell mouldy. Thanks!
Hi Brandi,
Not feeding at about 12 hour intervals can result in what you are seeing. It’s also possible to need to feed more often than twice per day during warm weather.
Starters can go bad if it’s too long between feedings.
If your starter is over 3 weeks old you may wish to consider moving to the fridge between feedings. Here’s an article that shares more: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/2016/11/30/sourdough-routine-with-einkorn-aw052/
~ Millie, TCS Customer Success Team
Thank you so much for the reply! Perhaps moving it to the fridge would be a better option as I’m not using it daily for baking. It has been pretty warm around here lately so it’s possible it does need even 3 feeds a day. Fingers crossed I haven’t ruined it!
I cannot get einkorn flour in the country where inlive. Can i use plain whole wheat flour?
Hi Joy,
Yes! You can make a start with whole wheat flour. You can learn more about sourdough starters and request our free recipe on making a starter here: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/2011/04/20/free-video-make-a-sourdough-starter-the-science-of-it/
~ Millie, TCS Customer Success Team
I’ve been making an einkorn sourdough starter per your directions. On the third day it was nice outside so I decided to let it get some fresh air. The fresh air and just the right temperature made it double in size and was so fluffy! I was SO excited because I had tried this once before and it had never done this. However, I have since kept it inside and can’t seem to get it to double in size again. It has bubbles, smells sour and is fed twice a day. My question is does the starter have to double in size every time after feeding for it do be an established starter? I’ve since tried wrapping it in towel, leaving it in the oven with the light on. Nothing has seemed to make it double in size. I’m using freshly ground einkorn flour. Would that make a difference? I would really LOVE for this sourdough to work. I’m newly to Trim Healthy Mama and would love to have this sourdough in my back pocket. 🙂 Thanks!
I’m pretty sure Wardee says this one does not double in size. Listen to the videos for more.
Hello! Question: I just started my starter last night, so only one feeding so far. This morning it has a very dark layer on top. Is this okay? Should I just stir it back in with the next feeding? Or should I scrape it off?
Thank you!
Hi Ruth,
If the layer is a liquid it is hooch and can be stirred back in at any time. 🙂
It is a sign that your starter needs fed. If you’re feeding once a day you may want to feed it twice a day.
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Question>> I see that stirring is important for the starter. Has anyone thought of using an immersion blender? Seems to me that would be excellent for aeration, curious to know if anyone has tried it out.
Hi Nicolette,
It could be done but I can’t really see a need for it. 🙂
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Hi there,
I’ve been making a starter following Oliver Strand’s recipe in NYT Cooking, but I’ve been making it with Einkorn. I’m nearly a week in and it hasn’t really gotten bubbly or domed . It’s runny, smells really yeasty/a bit alcoholic and separates slightly between stirrings. This recipe says to wait up to 4 days during this step for the starter to get foamy before feeding again, but I thought maybe the inaction has something to do with Einkorn’s difference from regular wheat flour. My starter hasn’t gone bad, right?
Also, on a separate note, doesn’t metal react badly with bacteria on contact? Should I not be using a metal spoon to stir?
Hi Scott,
It looks like the recipe you are using includes pineapple juice. If so, we’re not really able to help much with troubleshooting. We use only whole grain flour, water and time for our starters. 🙂
You wouldn’t want to leave a metal spoon in your starter. Brief contact should be okay.
Hope this helps!
~ Millie, TCS Customer Success Team
I followed the directions and the starter bubbled up nicely the first day and also after the 2nd feeding. I used a 2 cup mason jar as directed and it literally bubbled over so I moved it to a slightly larger jar. It has not bubbled up since and it has been 4 days, although I have continued with the every 12 hour feedings. I also do not see any evidence of “hooch”. Should I start over? I am using Jovial Einkorn whole wheat flour, if I start over would it also work to use Jovial Einkorn All Purpose flour? Why would it seem to work so wonderfully for the first 24-36 hours and then just stop? Thank you for your advice!
Hi Julie,
Einkorn usually doesn’t double in size after feeding. As long as it’s bubbly, domes slightly, produces hooch (yellow liquid), and smells fresh and sour your sourdough starter should be working.
If your starter is not than you may need to start the sourdough starter again. Is your starter warm enough?
An all-purpose flour is not likely to give much activity and produce a strong starter. You want a whole-grain flour with the germ and beneficial organisms still included.
~ Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team
I started an einkorn sourdough started a few weeks back and I love it. However I need to switch it to wheat. Is that possible? I know you can switch from wheat to einkorn but would this work switching an “original” einkorn starter to wheat? And if it is possible what wheat is the best to use?
Hi Tracy,
This article from our friends at Cultures for Health will help you switch to a different flour. https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/sourdough/how-switch-sourdough-new-type-flour/
100% non GMO whole wheat is best. Organic is aways good if you can get it.
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
I started my first einkorn sourdough starter, actually my first ever sourdough starter, a few days ago. Your instructions were clear and easy to follow. My starter began slowly, but is now rocketing to sourdough heaven, with lots of life and bubbles.
Hi there, is the wholewheat einkorn flour used in the video? If so, is the recipe the same for all purpose einkorn flour?
thank you,
Josephine
Hi Josephine,
Yes, whole grain einkorn is what Wardee uses. You could use all purpose einkorn but whole grain is preferred because it has the most abundant organisms on it.
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Hi,
If I use freshly-ground einkorn flour, can I store a week’s amount in the fridge and take out the 3/8 cup for each feeding? (In order to preserve quality of flour rather than leaving at room temp on counter)…. Would the colder temperature of the flour affect the fermentation?
Hi Pepper,
It’s a good idea to store your extra ground Einkorn flour in the fridge or freezer. We do suggest that you allow the flour to come to room temperature before feeding your starter.
Feeding your starter cold flour wouldn’t harm your starter just delay the refreshing process. 🙂
~ Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team
Hi again,
I was also wondering how we know exactly how much starter to remove? I know it says “remove half,” but when you actually take some out, do you just eye-ball it and estimate or do you measure exactly based on how much flour and water you have in there? (So, say, remove exactly a half cup)?
Hi, Pepper.
We eyeball the half. 🙂
~ Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Hi,
I started my Einkorn sourdough starter a week ago, and so far it has been doing good (bubbly, domed, etc.). I keep feeding/discarding twice a day (once every 12 hours or so). However, it keeps producing a lot of hooch…. (within three hours it already starts to produce it). I know this is a sign that it’s active, but I’ve heard before from other sources that that means the starter is hungry and that I shouldn’t let it produce that much every day…. if that’s true, should I only bake with it when it doesn’t have any hooch, or maybe feed and then use within an hour or two? (Also, it’s very hot and humid right now, so maybe that’s affecting it? I just can’t necessarily feed it three times a day b/c I’m not always around).
Hi there,
Hooch is a sign that your starter has used up its food. You say it’s very hot and humid; that will definitely affect how quickly your starter goes through it food. Adding another feeding during period of extreme heat will help to keep your starter healthy.
If you can’t give it that extra feeding, then feeding a bit more when you do feed your starter will help also. 🙂
You can also pour off the hooch then use in your baking or you can give it that extra feeding an hour or so before using.
~ Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team
Hello its me Roxanne. I recently tried making a sour starter using buckwheat everything seemed fine until this morning day 6 I found mold on the side of the glass bowl so I dumped it all out. Anyways i’m going to give up on trying to use buckwheat but now I want to try Einkorn flour, directions seem a little confusing tho.. because i’m confused at what day is which.
So far my sourstarter is doing really good today is the 3rd day. yesterday is raised half its size but then soon as I put my spoon in the cup to remove half it went down. There’s so many bubbles. I was wondering if it would be ok to transfer my starter into another glass cup to prevent mold?
Hi Roxanne,
You can transfer your starter to a clean jar periodically.
~ Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team
Hi again,
So it’s been two weeks since I started my sourdough starter, and from the first day, it was going great! At the end of the first week, after I had discarded and fed the starter, I decided to wash out the jar, so I poured the starter out into a glass bowl temporarily so I could wash it…. after washing and drying the jar, I poured the starter back in…. no big deal, and the starter carried on as usual. Then, exactly one week later (yesterday), I did the SAME EXACT THING, used the same soap, same bowl, everything, but when I poured my starter back in the fresh jar, within a few hours, something seemed wrong. There was hooch, but it suddenly didn’t seem near as sour-smelling, and there were very few bubbles. To try to help it, I just went ahead and discarded half and fed it again; this seemed to help, just a little bit, because it had a tiny amount of hooch and was a bit bubbly again a few hours later…. although it still wasn’t as sour. Now, this morning, there was practically no hooch at all, it hardly smelled sour, and there were just a few bubbles that looked like they were left over from yesterday. I still fed it, and I’ll see how it is in a few hours, but I’m really worried now that I killed it….. I just have no idea how though, I did the same thing as last week, the temperature is the same, etc…. wondering if I should toss it and start over, although even if I do, I’m still worried that if I try to wash out the jar again, something freakish will happen…??
Hi, Pepper,
It sounds like your starter is doing fine, sometimes it slows down a bit, maybe give it a good stir and skip a feeding and see how it does.
~Peggy, TCS Customer Success Team
So today is the 7th day of making my sour starter using Einkorn I’ve been doing 1/4 water and 1/4 and half 1/4 cup flour everyday will I be able to use this Einkorn starter in any recipe that requires 1 cup starter for whatever im making? Or would it have to be the amount i’ve been feeding it everyday?
Roxanne, at this point you shouldn’t need to be discarding anymore. So your starter should be building up in volume.
You can use any amount you currently have in your starter as long as you leave some to continue feeding.
~ Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team
Well once again this time on the 7th day mold developed on the side of my glass jar. I know I talked about switching glasses but I ended up not doing that and now I have mold on the side of the side its not in the starter I don’t think from what i can see just on the jar do you guys think it needs to be thrown out?
actually today is the 8th day since I started my starter so so close
If it isn’t on the starter, scoop some out (carefully as to not touch the mold) and switch it to another jar. 🙂
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
A friend of mine uses pineapple juice instead of water to her starter and swears that it is the best she ever used. Can this work?
Hi, Kim.
We aren’t familiar with that method. It certainly provides sugar for the organisms, but I would say that it’s not the type of organisms we’re trying to encourage, the ones that flourish on the starches in flour. We don’t boost with other forms of sugar, we cultivate a starter that does well on flour. 🙂
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Aloha! I am having a bit of an issue with my starter! It started making beautiful bubbles by feeding 4 and was domed. It looked amazing. I halved it and fed it and the next day it did nothing, so I stirred it give it a chance to catch up and by evening feeding it still was not showing any more signs that it was growing properly. I kept halving it and feeding it according to the directions to see if it would spark back to life but it doesn’t bubble or dome anymore after feedings. It smells sour and tangy but it doesn’t do anything productive and I am now on feeding 6! Why did it do so well and then just stop? Do I need to be changing out jars regularly? Did I stir it too much? I don’t understand what I did wrong. Help please!!
Hi Tee,
Einkorn doesn’t always show bubbles and doming like traditional wheat…as long as it smells and looks good it is fine. Is it extremely hot and/or humid where you are? If so you may need to add an extra feeding.
And yes you can periodically change out the jars.
~ Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team
Hi! I’m so excited to get started with this flour, thank you for all the information! I’m brand new to sourdough and after 2 weeks my starter is producing bubbles but no hooch. Should I let it go longer between feedings? My house is fairly cold, typically below 70F. Thank you again!
Hi, Carly.
It is okay if your starter isn’t producing hooch. Bubbles are the signs of life and growth. Hooch needs there is die-off and the starter needs fed more often. 🙂
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Hello,
My sourdough is on day 7 and looking bubbly and healthy! Should I move it into the refrigerator now in order to limit feedings to one per day? Do I continue to feed 1/4 cup water and 3/8 cup flour at each feeding?
Thank you!
Hi, Mary,
That is great your starter is bubbly and healthy! 🙂 Usually we don’t recommend refrigerating your sourdough starter until it’s mature, sometime around 4 – 6 weeks. Wardee has an episode of #AskWardee about 2 sourdough routines here: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/food-preparation/sourdough-routine-with-einkorn-aw052/
~Peggy, TCS Customer Success Team
Thank you for the clear directions! I just want to clarify, though…does the temperature of the water matter? Does this starter need to be kept in the dark? And is it okay to put a plastic lid on the starter jar or does it need to be loose-fitting Saran Wrap?
Hi, Stephanie: The water temperature should ideally be warm, but not hot, and not too cold, either. The starter does not need to be kept in the dark. Normal, ambient room light is fine. You could cover the jar with a plastic lid, but it should not be airtight, as sourdough organisms are aerobic (they need air to proliferate). I hope that helps! —Sonya, TCS Customer Success Team
Is this considered a 100% hydration starter?
I’m to the point where I can just keep feeding it but it doesn’t appear to be as active after two additions. Should I just stir it and let it catch up?
Hi, Lauri,
This is not considered a 100% hydration starter, she is using cups vs by weight. Yes, sometimes stirring and skipping a feeding helps it to catch up and you should start to see some activity. 🙂
~Peggy, TCS Customer Success Team
As a complete newbie, with a somewhat irregular schedule, after my starter is ready to go (7 days), is it possible to freeze it, as I may not be home for 2-3 days.
Thanks in advance.
Hi, Malcolm: No need to freeze your starter if you will only be gone a few days. Simply feed it and then place it in the refrigerator. When you return, pull it out of the refrigerator and resume your usual feeding schedule. Or, keep it in the refrigerator and pull it out once a week for feeding — or more often if you are using it in a recipe. —Sonya, TCS Customer Success Team
A few questions, can I store the discard for recipes, what do i do after day seven, do i store it in the fridge and feed once a day, and when is it ready to make bread?
Hi, Olivia.
Yes, you can store your discard if you’d like for a few days. You may find you end up with overload though.
Here are two care and feeding routines you can use: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/food-preparation/sourdough-routine-with-einkorn-aw052/
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Question: I bought some einkorn flour on sale about 6 months ago. It’s been in the freezer since then. I am interested in trying to make an einkorn sourdough starter from this flour. Would the flour, being frozen for a bit, be ok for making sourdough starter?
Hi, Wendy.
Yes, that flour should work just fine. 🙂 Report back with your results!
~Makenzie, TCS Success Team